It is known to cook food by placing a source of heat beneath the food in such a manner that the energy from the source of heat raises the temperature of the food. In one form, the heat source does not radiate directly onto the food, the cooking being accomplished by simply raising the temperature of the cooking enclosure to raise the temperature of the food. This is the commonly-known process of baking. In another form, radiant energy from the source of heat is allowed to fall directly on the food, thus cooking it by direct radiation. This form is commonly known as broiling.
When the heat source is beneath the cooking food, a problem arises when the food produces grease drippings which fall onto the heat source. The heat source is typically at a temperature above the ignition temperature of the grease drippings, and a grease fire can ensue if the food, such as beef, produces a significant amount of grease.
One solution to the problem has been to provide a tray for intercepting the grease drippings before they impinge upon the source of heat. U.S. Pat. No. 3,443,510 (Norton) teaches one such apparatus. In the Norton device, a plurality of V-shaped elements are placed below gaps formed between inverted V-shaped elements which form a rack for supporting food to be cooked. As the grease drips from the food, it falls through a gap and into a V-shaped element. In a similar vein, U.S. Pat. No. 3,407,723 (Varkala) shows a bacon cooker wherein a lower tray comprises a connected set of valleys and ridges. The ridges engage the food to be cooked, while the valleys collect the grease drippings. U.S. Pat. No. 3,186,331 (Dettling) shows a device for use with an outdoor barbecue grill and includes a plurality of S-shaped strips. Upper, convex portions of the strips support food being cooked, while lower, concave portions of the strips catch grease drippings from the cooking food. Intermediate portions of the S-shaped strips also direct the grease into the concave portions.
A major defect in the prior art grease-catching devices is that the grease troughs themselves are subjected to the energy from the heat source. Thus, the grease trough itself may well reach a temperature sufficient to cause ignition of the caught grease. When this occurs, a substantial fire results which is annoying and may be dangerous.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,811,099 (McGoldrick) shows one attempt to collect drippings in a trough such that the temperature of the trough is kept below the ignition temperature of the drippings. The device shown by McGoldrick does not, however, cook food by use of radiant energy; it relies instead upon a flow of hot air around the food. A V-shaped tray collects drippings, while a deflection plate is located below the tray to prevent radiation from the heat source from striking the tray. The tray and heat source are held in a shell, and ends of the deflection plate are securely attached to planar ends of the shell. Upper edges of the deflection plate are attached to the tray in such a manner that air flow is prevented. By this construction, McGoldrick provides a sealed air chamber between the grease-collecting tray and the deflection plate. Food is cooked by hot air rising around the deflection plate being directed toward the food being cooked. The food is not cooked by radiant energy from the heat source.